Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-13
NATURAL GAS.
Biologists Say the Supply is Not Inexhaust
ibIe-Dealers in it say it Will Last Many
Years at ALI Events.

| haustible is strange confession for a
| Pittsburger to make. Yet Professor
| Charles A. Ashburner, the well-knewn
geologist, unhesitatingly admitted this to
| your correspondent to-day. Biologists
| agree on this point. Professor Leslie.
state geologist of Pennsylvania, recently
said: at is temporary aud vanishing
phenomenon-one which young men will
live to see come to natural end"
There is also no doubt that this
end is being fastened by excessive
drilling in all directions by parties
who have no gas mains, but lease
and drill as a matter of specula-
ton, wasting the gas if successful,
until a satisfactory sale can be forced.
Professor Ashburner's sincerity when he
made the above statement cannot be
doubted. If biologists theories should
prove incorrect he will not be disappoint-
ed. He is connected with the Safety APP
pliance company, an offshot of the Phila-
delphla Natural Gas company. Professor
Ashburner provides an antidote for any
alarm that may be felt here, however.
That is, the manufacture of gas to super
cede the natural, when it shall have ceased
flowing In paying quantities.
Experiments to this end are being con-
Quoted, and it is said have been success.
ful to such degree that the new fuel, if
ever needed, will be cheaper here than
coal. That is all it was intended to &C
cemplish by natural gas. If true, a
change will bring no dire results. The
writer repeated Professor Ashburner's
remarks to John r. Mckinley, secretary
of the Philadelphia Gas company.
professor Ashburner is correct" said
| lint ,0& ~ oil
ed. The gas supply, if properly utilized,
is ample to meet the demands for many
years. Our company has leased $1,000
acres of natural gas territory, yet has de-
veloped only 1000. We have spent large
sums of money to prevent waste at wells
whose supply is not at present utilized,
and have endeavored to persuade other
companies to do likewise''
Eastern papers recently published the
| sensational and to the readers, alarming
statement that hundred Eastern manu-
featuring firms, who were unable to COM
pete with Pittsburg rivals using the new
fuel, had resolved to'remoVe their plants
to the late Smoky City" Simultaneous
ly with this exodus, Pittsburg was prom
ised large accession to its population
in the thousands upon thousands of
workmen who would follow their mas
| tiers. Pittsber's business and real estate
men who may have read this state
ment undoubtedly chuckled over the
prospect of increased business and big
profits as the result. When asked to give
the number of outside firms which have
on account of the cheap fuel actually re-
moved their plants to Pittsburg and vi
cinity, Mr.. Mckinley said:
II can think of but four. There are
the st. Louis Specially company and the
Harrison Wire company, whose works are
located along the Pennsylvania railroad
just outside the city limits. They are
identically the same company, and re-
moved their machinery from st. Louis
Lieutenant Filth, son-in-law Of General
Sherman, is interested in both companies
Three Or four hundred men are employ
ed. There is also the National Parafine
works, which were removed from Cleve-
land, and Crane Bros. Pipe works from
Chicago. This latter company is quite
an extensive concern, employing between
500 and 600 men. It is known as the
Plttsburg Tube company"
care any outside firms arranging for
the removal of their plants to this city?'
Hardly a day passes but we receive re-
quests from firms, principally in the vi
cinity of Philadelphia and in the states OF
New York and New Jersey for informa
ton about natural gas, as cost, desirable
locations, prices of real estate, etc. We
have even been visited by the agents of g
dozen English manufacturing firms, who
are thinking seriously of establishing
American branches here Or removing to
this city their American houses already
opened.
personal requests for information are
always gratifed, but many by mail
through pressure of business, we are com.
PEELED to neglect. Outside patronage is
not needed just now, and it taxes all oul
energies to supply home demands. When
that has been attended to we can negO
tiate with the manufacturers of less ia
vored cities. The growth of the city, in.
Guiding the resumption Of the factories
and the building of new ones, should sat.
isfy the most patriotic Pittsburger, add
tions from other cities not being even
considered. The representative of steel
manufacturing firm in New York state re.
turned east day or two ago after an ia.
| Vestigation into the working Of natural
gas, which extended over ten days. can
not reveal the name of the firm, but it is
very old and influential, employing al
least 1000 men. In negotiating with out
side firms, it is stipulated that until actual
removal takes place no names are to
be given to the press. The agent of the
steel firm secured an option on two acres
of ground and has returned to consult
with his partners.
II believe that Philadelphia company
has purchased piece of property at the
south end of the Smithfeld street bridge
end iust opposite the Pittsburg and Lake
Erie depot, and will remove its plant to
that locality. Disston & Co., the saw
manufacturers of Philadelphia, have, &C
cording to the newspaper reports, CON
templated a removal to this city for
many months. They are quoted as hav-
ing purchased plats of land in various
localities, but I have heard nothing
definite"
In addition to these, it is said the New
Jersey steel works, of Newark, may re-
move its plant to this city. It is the
opinion of natural gas people that the
promised exodus from the east will not
take definite shape for a year yet; that
by that time doubling Thomases will be-